Fifth graders learned about multiplication and volume as well as how to effectively critique each other's work.

In Mrs. Warren's math class, students worked in pairs or trios to make a poster showing their learning and understanding of multiplication and volume. Their goal was to show all the sizes of possible boxes that could be used to ship 24 baseballs, with each baseball being a 1x1x1 cubic unit. They were asked to use numbers, illustrations and words in their solutions for finding the shapes and sizes of the boxes needed.

After the posters were completed, students hung them around the classroom so their classmates could view and critique their work. Mrs. Warren gave each student several Post-It notes to place comments around each poster during their "gallery walk." The comments could be complimentary in nature or provide advice or, as one student put it, constructive criticism. Two lessons in one!

Mrs. Warren's Math Class